Caitlin Clark’s Most Impressive Skill for Team USA Wasn’t Her Shooting
Caitlin Clark's return to the court for Team USA during the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament featured some of her signature logo bombs, but it was another aspect of her game that stood out even more—her passing.
Clark's playmaking very well may be her best skill and it was put on display with the star-studded roster of Team USA. Clark paced the squad statistically in a number of categories but it was her assists where she was well ahead of the pack. Clark led the team with 32 dimes, with Chelsea Gray finishing second with 24.
Clark brought pace to the play whenever she stepped on the floor, and in the team's win over Spain to complete a 5-0 run during the qualifiers (the U.S. had already qualified entering the tournament), her passing prowess was prominent once again.
She had 7 assists in just over 22 minutes of action and it could've been more. Some of the highlight dishes included a full-court connection to Paige Bueckers, the second game in a row where she found Bueckers in stride for a layup.
WE KNOW YOU ARE WAITING FOR THE CC TO PB CONTENT 🔥#FIBAWWC x #WeOwnTheGame pic.twitter.com/roqfNs9qI4
— FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWWC) March 17, 2026
She also connected with Angel Reese for a bucket underneath, continuing the strong play between the trio of potential future pillars of Team USA.
Clark finished averaging 6.4 assists per contest and her ability to find teammates was a big reason why she was able to thrive in a variety of lineup combinations.
USA Coach Praised Clark's Playmaking
Clark's highest assist total came in the initial game of the tournament against Senegal. In her first action in 8-months, she showed no rust in terms of court vision, dealing out 12 dimes.
Clark said it was her goal to play fast in her return and cited the talent around her making things easier. But USA coach Kara Lawson certainly took notice of how the All-Star point guard set said talent up after that contest.
"With Caitlin she brings this dynamic play to the offensive end, that goes without saying. And as much as she is dynamic as a scorer she's one of the most dynamic playmakers in the world as well," Lawson said.
Kara Lawson speaks about Caitlin Clark’s performance pic.twitter.com/2dNhep4OtA
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It's hard to imagine any of the plethora of players who were on the receiving end of those passes would disagree.
With Team USA finished up in Puerto Rico, Clark's next dish will come at the start of the WNBA season when she finally takes the floor for the Indiana Fever once again.
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his popular YouTube channel. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak On SI and Indiana Fever On SI!
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